Manish Khanduri to contest from either Karnaprayag, Rudra Prayag or Dehradun seat as MLA ?

There are speculations that Manish Khanduri, executive member of the media department of All India Congress committee and son of former chief minister of Uttarakhand n union highways minister Major General Bhuvan Chand Khanduri is looking for alternative options to contest as MLA from one of the legislative constituencies of Garhwal, either rom Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag or Dehradun Cantt. whichever suits him the most. Lost by over 3 lakh 29 thousand votes to the BJP candidate Tirath Singh Rawat in the parliamentary elections of 2019, working in senior position in Facebook n senior journalist Manish Khanduri had joined Congress expressing his, faith in the leadership of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. The news of the son of the former Uttarakhand CM Major general ( R) Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri had created lot of furore n shock in BJP corridors. Sources say that Manish Khanduri joined Congress as his, father was sent into cold storage politically by the BJP high command which infuriated him to the core.

According to the latest news pouring in the recent hectic visits of Manish Khanduri. In Karnaprayag n Rudraprayag areas have raised speculation about him finding a suitable option to contest the forthcoming election. He is considered to be close to Harish Rawat n Rahul Gandhi and it was at the behest of Rawat only that Khanduri had joined Congress and got the parliamentary ticket from Pauri Garhwal, though he lost by a huge margin during the Modj n BJP wave. Both the Rudraprayag and Karnaprayag assembly seats are part of Pauri Lok Sabha constituency. Apart from this, according to Congress sources the party is looking for a, strong, educated and able candidate of Brahmin caste from Mussuorie and Dharmpura Cantt seats dominated by majority of Brahmin votes. The Congress already had a strong candidate from Cantt seat earlier contested twice by Surya Kant Dhasmana, the Congress Vice president once on NCP ticket and next time on Congress ticket but lost.

Moreover, he being in Harish Rawat’s rival camp led by the leader of the opposition Pritam Singh may be this, seat would ne manipulated by Harish for Manish Khanduri. Though these are all rumours. Anyways, the fact of the matter is the Brahmin candidates like Vinod Chamoli, Sunil Uniyal Gama, former mayors also won from here but Congress’s Surya Kant Dhasmana lost twice. From Cantt seat, Dehradun Surya Kant Dhasmana is the only strong candidate from Congress. There are speculations that Harish Rawat and his protege Ganesh Godiyal who has replaced Pritam Singh as state president may bring Manish Khanduri from this, seat. Dehradun was earlier the part of Pauri Garhwal Loksabha constituency and his father Major general Khanduri had been the MP from this seat for several terms. Political analyses say that may be Manish may get the advantage of his father as we as the Congress getting votes of BJP as well as Congress from this seat.

Moreover, the BJP which got the political advantage of Modi wave in 2017 assembly and 2019 parliamentary elections in Garhwal n this constituency as well this time is not very confident due to the anti incumbency factor going against it say sources. The Congress seems to be more confident and overwhelmed this time say political analysts.